Apparatus for electrolyzing air.



PATENTED AUG. 29,1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A1 JOHNSON. APPARATUS FOR ELECTROLYZING AIR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN 5 1905 WJTNESSES.-

s, w) n m A No. 799,511. 'PATENTED A111129, 1905.

' A. JOHNSON.

APPARATUS FOR BLBGTROLYZING AIR. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5. 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WIM/55555: [NVE/WOR PATE1\ITBD AUGyzQ, 1905.

A. JOHNSON.

APPARATUS FOR ELECTROLYZING AIR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5 1905.

3 SHEETS--SHEET 3.

m W H W Sfrarns AUGUST JOHNSON, or MOLINE, ILLINOIS, AssreNOR To THE BARNRD grinnraton..

AND LEASMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS. APPARATUS FOR .ELEC'i'RQLYZINGAIR.`

Specification of Letters Patent. r Patented Aug. 29,1905.`l

Application filed January/5, 1905". Serial No. 239,821.

To' all whom it -mtl/y concern; Beit known that I, AUGUST JOHNSON, of Moline, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and use-v ful Improvements in Apparatus for Electro- 'lyzing Air; and I hereby declare that the fol iowingnis a full, clear, and exact description l is designed particularly for converting air into agaseous'medium to vbe used in the process ofv bleaching our and other useful purposes in the arts.

The principal objects ofthe invention are to control both the quantity and intensity of the gaseous medium produced by the apparatus and to use a continuous arc for decomposing the air.

vThe apparatus in brief comprises one or more decomposing-chambers in which the gaseous fluid is decomposed bythe action of anv electric arc. It also comprises means for forcing or drawing such fluid throughsuch chambers, means for regulating the `length of the arc, means for regulating the admission of the quantity of gaseousflu'id admitted into the chambers, and means whereby the flow of the fluid may be stopped simultaneously with the closing of the arc and started simultaneously with the formation of the arc, all substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

` Hereinafter in the description and claims I will simply refer to air, which is one gaseous iuid that can be treated by the apparatus,

' but db not restrict orl limit the use ofmy ap- .the apparatus and dynamo are indicated diagrammatically in connection with said figure. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectionon line 2 2, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a vertical section 'on line 3 3, Fig. 2..

The generating-chambers in which the elecf trolyzzingy is effected are preferably made' tubular, with upper and lower metal cylinders AA arranged in axial alinement and connected by arms A2. The space between these two cylinders and within the arms "is preferably closed by transparent wallsof suitable material', such as glass, and for convenience thesewalls may be made in two cylindric sec tions a a, united at their meetingl endsby a collar or collars a2 and having their other ends suitably sealed within the ends 0f the cylinders AA', respectively. Two such chambers 'are shown, in the drawings, and both are mounted vertically upon a hollow base Band may be securely fastened thereto by bolts and flanges, as indicated in the drawings. As the chambers are exactly alike, the description of one applies to both. The upper end of Lthe chamber may be closed by a perforated plate C, preferably of insulating material and providedwith a central aperture for the passage of one of the electrode-holders and with a concentric series of apertures c for the admission `of air. A circular similarly-perforated valve C' overlies plate C, and by rotatably moving Valve C the amount of air admitted into the chamber can be nicely regulated.

Within the central part of cach chamber is located the positive electrode I), which is mounted on a short stud D', of conducting material, attached to a bracket D2 in the lower part A' of the chamber, said bracket being removably secured inthe chamber by means of a ,bolt al, which passes through a plug d", of insuiating material, inserted in an aperture in the wall of part A and by which the electrode D is insulated from the walls of the chamber.

rlhe negative electrode E is attached tothe lower 'end of a holder-rod E', which passes through a vitreous disk C2, inserted in the central aperture ofplate C, and is attached to anarm Ff on the upper end of a verticallymovable rod E3, which extends through suitable guides into the base B, where it rests upon the free endof'a lever F, pivoted on a transverse shaft F in the base, as shown in Figs. 1l

IOO

and 3. The rod E3 and the electrode connected therewith are normally moved downward by l appears to l'uelt the metal at the point where gravity and the action o1 a helical spring-f', at-l 'tached toa stud 1, connected to arm li and toa binding-postfon alateralextensionCfofplato l as shown, said spring fr' also serving as a conductor` the current passingthrough spring f'. arm and holder ld' to the negative electrode 1C. .\rm should be insulated from the holder or rod l", so that current cannot escape from the holdery tlrrouglisaid arm. As shown. arm l" is insulated from rod 'E atl-14. 'lhe bolt f/ may serve as a binding-post for the comi'ieti'on of thep'osit'i've conduc'torfrom the source of electric current.

Lever l caribe raised and lowered by means of a cani f, attached to a short shaft G, journale'd in the base B below the lever and extending at right angles thereto. This shaft G is provided with a toothed wheel g' on its outer end, `aich can be locked in any ad` ius-ted position by means of a latch r/,pivoted on the base adjacent to the wheel. The latch may be disengaged from the wheel by hand when it is desired to adjust the electrodes.

ln the upper part of base A is a chamber with which the lower end of the chamber communicates through an opening'A, closable by a puppet-valve H. The stem Il of valve H is guided in a sleevein chamber/1 and extends through and below said chamber and rests upon the freeend of a lever l, pivoted on shaft F. A spring /1 isintcrposed between the bottoni of chamber /1 and a collar l. on the stem Il', so to normally press the latter down upon lever land close the valve when the lever permits, 'lhe leverl is moved upward at the proper times by means of a small cam z', lixed on shaft (i adjacent to cam f.

' ln thedrawings two generating-chambers are shown, each identical in construction and appurtenances with that already described; but l do. not conline myself to any precise numberof generating-chambers, that depending upon the capacity of the apparatus.

The chamber has an outlet communicating with a pipe J, leading to the inlet of a suction-fan K, which should boclosely housed, and its outlet is connected with the receiver or chamber inwhich the generated gases are to be stored orutilized.

Preferably the lower electrode D is the positive and the upper E is the negative, and preferably the positive electrode is made globular, and the upper may be cylindrical, as shown. The object of the globular electrode is to cause a diffusion or spreading of the are it strikes the electrode, and as the resistance is enhanced by the melting of the metal the arc shifts to a new pointiof less resistance, this shifting preventing rapid destruction of thc electrode. The spherical electrode affords a larger surface for the arc to shift over and spreads the are, so that a more nearly perfect electrolysis of the air passing through the chamber is realized.

Uperation: l/Vhen the apparatus is in position and ready for use, it is started by first "rotating shaft Gr, so that Vtherelcctrode 'E is lowered into Contact with electrodeI l), closing the circuit, and at same time valve l-l is closed. Then the shaft (i is turned so as to separate the electrodes, simultaneously opening valve H, and this separation of the electrodes establishes a continuous arc therebetween. 'lhe fan is then put in operation (if 'not already started) and air is sucked into the generating-chamber past and through the electric arc, by which it is decomposed and con- I verted into gases suitable for use in bleaching flour and for other purposes, these gases being sucked through chamber /f and pipe J into the fan-chamber and discharged into suitable receivers or utili'Zers. Cams f 'v'. being both attached to same shaft, the changing of the length of arc and the opening of the valve H are accomplished simultaneously. By turning valve C the amount of air admitted into the generating-chamber can be varied so that the action of the arc and the attenuation of the gases can be mcasurably controlled; The arc can be varied in intensity by varying the distance between the electrodes, and it can be maintained continuously during the operation of the apparatus.

By this apparatus the quantity and intensity of the gaseous mediums produced are under control. A constant flow thereof can be maintained Without substantial variation in the quality or chemical nature of the resultant gases, owing to the uniformity and continuity of the are.

Having thus described my invention, what? I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. ln an apparatus for electrolyzing gaseous fluids, the combination of a generating-chamber, normally -separated electrodes therein adapted to main-tain a continuous arc; a valved outlet lfrom said cham ber, and means for holding said valve open while the electrodes are separated, and for closing the valve when the electrodes are brought into contact, substantially as described.

2. Inan apparatus for electrolyzing gaseous fluids, the combi-nation of a generating-chamber, normally separated electrodes therein adapted to maintain a continuous arc, a valve for varying the quantity of fiuid admitted to said chamber; a valve' controlling the outlet 'of fluid from said chamber; and means for IOC Lof

holding` the outlet-valve open while the eleetrodes are separated, and for closing` said valve when the electrodes are brought together.

3. ln an apparatus for eleetrolyziug gaseous fluids, the combination of' a generating-.chainber, normally separated electrodes therein adapted to maintain a Continuous are, a valve for regulating admission of fluid to said chamber, a valve eontrolling'the outlet of' fluid from said chamber, and means for closing the outlet-valve when the electrodes are in Contact, andfor opening' said outlet-valve when the electrodesare separated; with means ffor maintaining a constant uniform flow ofl air through the generating-chamber, substantially as described.

4. In combination, a generating-chamber, relatively fixed and movable electrodes therein adapted to be normally separated to maintain a continuous are, a valve for regulating admission of' fluid to said Chamber at one end thereof, a valved outlet at the other'end ofl said chamber, and mechanism for simultane* ously operatingr said outlet-valve and said movable electrode, so as to close the outlet when the electrodes are in Contact and open the outlet when the electrodes are separated, substantially as described.

5. 1n an apparatus f'or eleetrolyf/.ing gasmms fluids, the combination of' a generating-chamber, and relatively movable electrodes thereL in adapted to be normally separated to maintain a Continuous are; with a vertically-mow able rod f'or omi-ating,l the movable electrode, a valved outlet from said `enel-ating-than)ber,

and means adapted to simultaneously operate l the said rod and said valve, 'for the purpose and substantially as desembed.

(i. ln anapparatusforeleetrolvzinggaseous fluids, the eomliination of' a generatinv chamber, a fixed electrode and a movable electrode therein normall \v separated to maintain a oontiuuous are; with a vertically-moral)le rod for operating' the movable electrode, a valved outlet vfrom said generating-cham ber; and a shaft provided with cams adapted to simultaneously operate the said rod and said outlet-valve, for the purpose and substantially as described.`

7. ln an apparatus f'or eleetrolyzing` gaseousv fluids, the combination of a generatingfehainber, a pair of' electrodes therein adapted tobe normally separated and maintain a continuous are;. means f'or varying the relative positions'ot' the electrodes, a suction-chamber with which the generating-cham ber communicates, a valve for controlling communication between the generating' and suction chambers, and Lmechanism for Closing; said valve when the electrodes are in Contact, and for holding the valve open while the electrodes are separated, substantially as described.

H. lu Combination, a generating-ehamber,

electrodes therein, means for holding said eleotrodes normally apart to maintain a continuous are, an inlet-Valve at one end of the charnber, and an outlet-valve at the other end of the chamber; with a rook-shaft, cams and levers for simultaneously adjusting the said electrodes and the said outlet-valve, substantiallv as described.

9. [n an apparatus for eleetrolyzing gaseous fluids, the combination of' a generating-chamber, a globular electrode fixed therein, a rela-- tively movable eleetrode, said electrode being normallyv separated to maintain a Constant are, an inlet-valve at one end of' the chamber, an outlet-valve at its other end, and mechanism for closing the outlet-valve as the electrodes i are brought into Contact, and for holding the outlet-valve open while the electrodes are separated, substantially as described.

ln testimony that l claim the feregoing as my own l allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUST JQllNSUN. .ln presence ofm Cimabue A. lineman. S'rnruicN l). RAY. 

